[onQ]

With a revenue of over a 100 billion, legions of adoring fans and an iOS empire that dominates the mobile market, Apple isn't a company anyone wants to go up against. That's why Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo might be eyeing a recently published patent with worry.

Filed in March and published today, the patent GR has discovered lists various inputs and interactions between iPhones, iPods and Apple TVs, including FIG. 6, which "is a schematic of a video game controller for the standalone media player of FIG. 4 or a video game system".

FIG. 4 is an Apple TV, which could easily become a video games console with an upgrade, and technically already can play iOS games over airplay. Currently, core gamers don't take the platform too seriously due to the lack of buttons that severely limits gameplay.

The controller is also shown to be able to connect to an iPhone/iPod Touch and presumably will be able to connect to an iPad if it ever becomes real. Connection is shown to be wireless, using Radio-frequency identification (RFID) and NFC tags, rather than the cable depicted.

http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/a...ntroller-14241

[Shifty Geezer]

That's a lousy bit of journalism from technologically naive journalists. This is not a patent for a game controller.

Reading a 100+ page patent is clearly more effort than it's worth and I'm certainly not going to wade through patent-lawyer mangled pseudo-English, but there are a few steps anyone wanting to understand the meat of a patent should take to get the key info in a few minutes.

Firstly, read the title. Secondly, read the introduction describing the need that the invention is to fulfill. Finally, find the Claims and read the first one.

This is a patent for a touch device like a phone to provide a custom control interface to another device, selecting the interface based on NFC. That is, you swipe your iPhone near a TV or Digibox and get a control interface for it, as I understand it (I'm not reading more than a cursory galnce. Someone else can dive in for a better understanding! ). NFC and RFID have a range of centimetres, so the notion of this being a wireless controller using them is laughable. But even if the journalists lack the knowledge to understand this, the key aspects of the patent are pretty clear. Just looking through the pictures for understanding like a six year old is pretty shameful and leads to a lot of misinformation. Any half-decent journalist endeavour would have a technical advisor on hand to ask such questions of first before blurting out their false discovery to the world to be parroted as fact by more clueless journalists who don't check the sources.

[RancidLunchmeat]

I understand what you're saying Shifty, but because I'm lazy and want everything spoon fed to me, can you tell me how the diagram of a PS Dualshock controller integrates with a patent on a touch device interface?

[BRiT]

The touch device interface is going to mimic the other controller when you swipe it near your game console.

[Sonic]

That shouldn't be patentable.

[Brad Grenz]

So it sounds like it is just a patent for a method to quickly pair bluetooth devices in the context of using a touch device as a controller.

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by Sonic

That shouldn't be patentable.

It's a more novel invention than most patents. It is just an app concept though, although it would require a communications protocol between target devices and the host controller which makes it a little more specialist than just a programmable remote app.

[BoardBonobo]

Just another Apple lawsuit waiting to happen. We invented the word swipe, the concept of measurement. Oh,and the full stop. That's ours too.

[fehu]

Apple will sue sony to death :P
can't resist XD

[AzBat]

Figured I post this news here instead of creating a new thread. Figured they might have something to do with each other...

"Apple will launch an official gaming joypad soon"
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/Various...ws.asp?c=49737

Originally Posted by PocketGamer.biz

Long rumoured - and hoped for - GDC 2013 has finally provided confirmation that Apple will release its own dedicated game controller.

...Apple has been active during the conference talking to developers about its plans and ensuring plenty of games will support the joypad at launch.

It's been operating a meeting room at the show, albeit booked under a pseudonym company name to avoid media attention.

However, speaking anonymously, multiple developer sources have confirmed the news to PocketGamer.biz.

It's expected Apple will formally announce its plans during its annual April press event; previously this has been centred around the iPad.

...
And to complete the picture, one developer source also told us that Google will be making its own announcement about an official game controller in the near future too.

Tommy McClain

[RudeCurve]

Originally Posted by Sonic

That shouldn't be patentable.

Why because you thought about this idea years ago?

Maybe you should get a job at the USPTO since you're so good at deciding what shouldn't be patentable...

Anyway....this news about Apple releasing a controller is pretty cool. I hate virtual buttons/thumbsticks on touchscreens. This will allow iOS devices to compete quite well against the Ouya.

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by RudeCurve

Why because you thought about this idea years ago?

Maybe you should get a job at the USPTO since you're so good at deciding what shouldn't be patentable...

the people at the USPTO are utterly crap at deciding what should and shouldn't be patentable.

[idsn6]

Apple Has No Plans for Dedicated iOS Gaming Controller

Dalrymple has solid connections at Apple and has on numerous occasions and with 100% accuracy either confirmed or denied specific rumors.

[zed]

Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer

the people at the USPTO are utterly crap at deciding what should and shouldn't be patentable.

yes, part of the reasons a patent is granted in US regs is its gotta be NONOBVIOUS
yet the patent office grants obvious patents all the time

curious - anyone know any site that lists the dumbest patents granted, ala 'one click to buy'

[Brad Grenz]

Originally Posted by idsn6

Apple Has No Plans for Dedicated iOS Gaming Controller

Ouya dodges a bullet there. Official iOS gamepad + AppleTV refresh with App store = Ouya DOA.

[dagamer]

Originally Posted by Brad Grenz

Ouya dodges a bullet there. Official iOS gamepad + AppleTV refresh with App store = Ouya DOA.

In not sure you get the point of Ouya, it's to skip ANY barrier to releasing games, including a certification process. Of course, curation needs to happen, but it has to on any platform. Waiting 7 days on small bug fixes is ludicrous.